Counter Poaching In East Africa

[Shako Badhan]

I thought I would share an experience with you all. This past year when I was working in Kenya I had the opportunity to take part in a counter poaching training exercise/ patrol. As most of you will know hunting has been banned in Kenya since 1977. Between 1977 and 2016 wildlife populations dropped as much as 70 percent by some estimates. Currently the major tourist spots in the country have received a lot of attention, however the more remote areas depend on public/private partnerships. It was in one of these areas when I took part in the training.

We set out before dawn. The plan way to play the poacher and be tracked for as long as we could to test the teams skills. After seeing a dagga boy on the way in and dodging some hippos and a big crocodile at a river crossing we managed to make it about 15k before counter poaching teams got us.

I can’t say enough about the skill of the dog teams and other wildlife rangers and trackers. They tracked us through the thick stuff and across bare rock. I wouldn’t want them after me in a real world situation and that’s for sure.

I wrapped up my trip with a pilgrimage to the bridge over the bridge that Col. Patterson built over the Tsavo River that stands to this day.

It was very interesting to see how game preservation works in a country with a hunting ban. In some areas it seems to be working ok. Unfortunately most of the popular reserves feel more like a zoo with all the people. There are still some wonderful out the way places where most tourists don’t go. However it is these places I fear will be the first to be badly impacted if/when the photo only tourist system falls apart.

 

[Sarg]

That must of been a great experience for you & thank you for posting !

However as you said the "Wild" animal population is 25-30% of its former self, even the Mara is like a gigantic fence less Zoo surrounded by humanity & their animals .

Kenya is a very sad joke on all concerned & it should be made more public of how its policies have been such a huge failure in regards to keeping wild animal populations alive & well !

Even some of my friends in South Africa say they would like to visit Kenya to see the "Wild Life" I told them just go to Kruger again it is as good or better than most or all Parks in Kenya, it is all propaganda !!

 

[Shako Badhan]

Sadly I fully agree. It’s something of a case study for why photo only tourism does not work.

 

[Rell]

I read that the population in Kenya as around 7 million people in 1977. It’s now around 55 million people.

If the USA had 2.1 billion people .. how much game and wild places would still exist?

 

[Shako Badhan]

I read that the population in Kenya as around 7 million people in 1977. It’s now around 55 million people.

If the USA had 2.1 billion people .. how much game and wild places would still exist?

I think that population growth is a far greater danger to game in East Africa then poaching is. There is already a huge push to industrialize the economy to raise the standard of living that will probably only make things worse.

 

[Sarg]

I think that population growth is a far greater danger to game in East Africa then poaching is. There is already a huge push to industrialize the economy to raise the standard of living that will probably only make things worse.

You are 100% on that, it is the single greatest threat to life on this planet, Human beings them selves, it shows a lot of impact on Wild places in Africa & Asia .